PC Critic Reviews

The Incident At Galley House is a detailed, fantastic mystery puzzler that gives the player all the tools they could need and should be used as a blueprint for future developments in the genre.

Towards the end, a few puzzles feel overly difficult compared to the rest of the experience, and the conclusion drags on a bit too long. Despite these minor flaws, The Incident at Galley House is an excellent summer mystery—offering just the right level of challenge, an intriguing plot, and a unique overall feel. That is certainly something worth praising.

The Incident at Galley House constantly made me reevaluate my theories and approach, and several big twists spurred my search for answers throughout many late-night sessions. Sadly, I found the conclusion to be a mixed bag. The story purposely withholds the biggest explanation I’d been searching for while still offering enough significant ancillary explanations to avoid falling completely flat. It’s an artistic choice that may resonate with some, but after so many hours of searching and concocting numerous wild theories, I wanted a more concrete answer than what the game provides. Still, I had a blast figuring out the fates of these doomed souls, and I’d wager any puzzle or adventure game fan will too.

Evil Trout Inc. has once again demonstrated its foresight, its ability to spot talent at a glance, and—above all—its knack for making the great ideas of writers and game designers more appealing, readable, and accessible. The voice acting is excellent, the music and sound design add real value, the bonus content is well-crafted, and the interface is impressive; there are also great quality-of-life features (though we recommend disabling the connection hints, which are on by default and undermine the investigative mechanics). Yet, the true star remains the writing—the primordial seed from which this entire restoration project sprouted. At this point, we can safely say we are witnessing a renaissance for the genre, as not a year goes by without a new gem seeing the light of day; this time, it is The Incident at Galley House, an experience that captivates the player, holding them fast within the walls of the old mansion until the final credits roll.

If we sometimes miss the sparse presentation of the original's read-only memories, there's no question that this rework makes Galley House far more approachable than its predecessor. And, vitally, far better suited for playing from the sofa, with the Watson to your Holmes (or vice versa). Even if you've played "Type Help," the game remains very much afoot. [Issue#426, p.123]

A locked room whodunnit with a difference, The Incident at Galley House tells the story of a fateful night in the 1930s that saw a house full of people mysteriously die. Cleverly presented with excellent voice acting, consider this a must-play if you're a fan of the likes of Her Story and Eternal Threads.

It's a strange one, though, because even though Galley House has greater production values and is certainly more accessible (and is a game I would still recommend), I wouldn't say it is the best way to experience the game and the story, depending on your personal preferences. I actually think Galley House's presentation makes the story less impactful overall, compared to the original game.

The Roottrees are Dead studio Evil Trout gives William Rous' brilliant lo-fi deduction thriller Type Help a slick remake, and while the changes are many, it remains a smart, rewarding, and hauntingly effective mystery.

Happily, The Incident At Galley House has a clever device that reignites that early excitement and mystery in the late game, but there were a few hours in the middle where it lost its lustre.